Machine for making combined shirring and french piping



C. SEAMAN July 28, 1942.

MACHINE FOR MAKING COMBINED SHIRR ING AND FRENCH'PIPING Filed Jan'-. 22;1940 4 Sheets-Sheet '1 INVENTOR.

CHARLES 55A MAN 2 M ATTORNEY.

- y 1942- c. SEAMAN 2,291,352-

MACHINE FOR MAKING COMBINED SHIRRING AND FRENCH PIPING Filed Jan. 22,1940 4 Sheets-sheaf. 2 t/ zyfi 1s Tzdal IN VENT OR.

C RLES SEAMAN BY Wmn/ ATTORNEY.

July 28, 1942. c. SEAMAN 2,291,352

MACHINE FOR MAKING COMBINED SHIRRING AND FRENCH PIPING Filed Jan. 22,1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. CHARL E5 5A A- ATTORNEY.

July 28, 1942. c. SEAMAN 2,291,352

MACHINE FOR MAKING COMBINED SHIRRING' AND FRENCH PIPING Filed Jan. 22,1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR, CHA RLES SEAMAN BY W ATTORNEY.

Patented July 28, 1942 MACHINE FOR MAKING COMBINED SHIR- RING AND FRENCHPIPING Charles Seaman, Jamaica Estates, N. Y.

Application January 22, 1940, Serial No. 314,998

- 18 Claims.

This invention relates to a sewing machine, or an attachment, forshirring a base material and attaching thereto a blind stitched pipingof the type commonly known as a French piping.

An object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of the above typewhich may be readily applied to a standard sewing machine.

Another object is to provide a device of the type above indicated whichmay be manually controlled to produce various shirred effects.

Another object is to provide a device of the above type in which theoperation of the shirring mechanism may be interrupted without removingthe shirring attachment from the machine.

Another object is to provide a convenient, dependable and commerciallypractical device of the type above indicated.

Various other objects and advantageswill be apparent as the nature ofthe invention is more fully disclosed.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic ofthis invention are pointed out more particularly in the claims appendedhereto, the invention itself will be better understood by referring tothe following description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which a specific embodiment thereof has been set forth forpurpose of illustration.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a sewing machine head embodying thepresent invention, partly broken away to show the details ofconstruction;

Figure 2 is an end elevation showing the stitching and feed mechanism;

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 4--4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view showing the action of the shirringmechanism;

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of the shirring guide plate;

Figure 7 is a partial plan view showing one type of product which may bemade on the present machine;

Figure 8 is a section taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a section taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 2, withthe'needle, needle bar and presser foot omitted for sake of clarity;

Figure 10 is a detail view of the shirring mechanism in non-shirringposition;

Figure 11 is an end elevation of the machine showing the drivemechanism; and

(cilia-134) Figure 12 is an exploded perspective view showing theconstruction of the presser foot.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, Figure 1 shows a standardsewing machine head having a base I carrying an overhanging arm 2, towhich is secured a needle head 3 (Figure 2) carrying a needle bar 4 anda presser foot bar 5.

A lever 6 is provided for elevating the presser foot bar 5 when desired,as, for example, to pro- -vide clearance for inserting or removing thematerial. The needle bar 4 is driven by the usual drive shaft I actuatedby a belt pulley 8. It is to be understood that the sewing. machine headis of standard'construction and embodies the usual stitching and feedmechanism. Only so much thereof has been shown herein as is necessary toan understanding of the present invention.

The present invention provides a guide plate to guide a base material tothe needle path for stitching, a folder'to fold and position a pipingmaterial for attachment to the edge of said base material, and ashirring mechanism adapted to shirr the base material as it is fed tothe piping;

The folder may be of any suitable form and may,.for example, be similarto the piping mechanism shown in my Patent No. 2,125,652, dated August2, 1938. For purpose of illustration, a specific type or guide andfolder is disclosed herein which comprises a guide plate It) (Figures 3and 5) over which a base material H is passed to the needle forstitching and which carries a folder I adapted to fold a piping materiall3 into a U-shaped cross-section with the edges of the material inturnedbetween the sides of the U. It is to he understood, or course, that thefolder i2 may be mourned in accordance with the type of plpmg wmcn it isdesired to attach. For example, the raw e ge may be rolded m on only oneside or the U, wmcn may be located at the top of the finished product, nw ich event the piping will extend in a single layer on tne under sideof the material. By a suitable change in the Iolder, the piping materialmay be folded into any desired LIllCKnBSS, as is well known in the art.

The folder I2 is provided with a throat l4, through which the foldedpiping material is discharged downwardly around a guide or toe l5 of apresser'loot It, as shown in Figure 5, in a position such that theneedle, in its penetrating stroke, enters and leaves from the concealedside of the material so as to produce a blind stitch.

The guide plate in may be attached to the base i of the sewing machinehead by suitable means,

shown as carrying a block arm I9 is pivoted as b a screw 28.

shown as screws I'I (Figure 3). The plate is 18 in which an An eccentricpin 2| provides means for eifecting a slight adjustment of the arm IS.The pin 2| is actuated by a lever 22 having a pointer 23 cooperatingwith a scale 24 on the plate In. The lever 22 may be retained inadjusted position by a set screw 25.,

The arm I9 carries at-its free end a spring 26 (Figures 2, 3, 12) whichis secured thereto by screws 21 extending through elongated slots 28therein. The slots permit the spring 26 to be adjusted with respect tothe arm I9 so as toproperly position the presser foot to be described.The spring 26 carries at its end the presser foot 16, above mentioned,and also carries a bracket 28a (Figures 2 and 12) having an opening 29therein. A pin or screw 30 (Figure 2) secured in the presser foot barextends through this terrupting the shirring operation, a wire 50 isprovided which extends through an aperture 5| in the lip 4| of-the platel0 and is attached to the inner side of the guide plate 45. The wire 50is anchored to a pin 5| a (Figures 2, 5 and 6) by means of a set screw52. The pin 51a is attached to a rock cam 53, which is pivotally mountedin a bracket 54 attached to the under side of the plate In and carries acontrol lever 55. r The rock cam 53- engages a spring 56 which issecured by screws 51 to the under side of the plate l0 and cooperateswith the rock cam 53 to produce a toggle efiect, so as to hold the camin either upper position, as shown in Figure 5, or lower position, asshown in Figure 10. The upper position (Figure 5) is the normaloperating position, and

a it will be noted that the spring plate 45 is exopening 29 and isadapted toengage the bracket arm 3| (Figures 3 and 12) which is attachedby screws 32 to a block 33 carried by .the plate I0. It will be notedthat the forward surface i6a of the presser foot i6 provides a stop andguide for the toe I5, and that the toe i5 may be ad- J'usted withrespect to the needle path by making a suitable adjustment of thepresser foot l6. The

resilience of the spring arm 3| permits the toe 15 to be moved toprovide clearance for the passage of materials of increased thickness,such as scams or the like. A guide wire 34 is attached to the toe I5 toform a guide and stop for the shirring blade 44 to be described.

A pre-folder 35.(Figure 3) may be provided with a pin 36, which issecured by means of a set screw 31 in an arm 38 held in the block l8,above mentioned, by means of a screw 39. The

pro-folder may be provided with a gate 40,

if desired, for guiding the piping material [3 thereto for folding.

The plate in is provided with a downwardly extending lip 4| (Figure 5)over which the base material H is fed to the path of the needle. A

guide member 42 (Figures 3 and 5) may be secured to the top of the plateIt] by means of screws 43 in a position to engage the edge of the basematerial H and guide the same into position for stitching.

The shirring mechanism comprises a shirring blade 44, to be described,and a spring guide plate 45 associated with the plate to. The guideplate 45 (Figures 3 and 5) is secured to the under side of the plate IDby a screw 46, extends'through an aperture 41 in said plate, and is bentdownwardly in a curve corresponding'in general to that of the lip 4| cfthe plate Ill. The end of the guide plate 45 is provided with aplurality of serrations 48, which are adapted to engage the folds in thebase material produced by the shirring blade 44 and to prevent the samefrom being pulled back when the shirring blade is retracted. The guideplate 45 is also provided with a recess 49 to provide clearance for theneedle.

In order to retract the spring plate 45 when desire-d,.so as to preventthe same from cooperating with the shirring blade 44, and therebyintended so 'as to hold the material H in a position to be engaged bythe shirring blade 44. In the position of Figure 10, the movement of thepin 5|a has caused the .wi're '5ll to. retractthe spring plate so as torelease the material I l L for stitching, and withfa recess 6| toprovide clearance for the needle. The blade 44 is mountedon a bracket 62(Figures 2, 4 and 9) by screws 63. The bracket 62 is carried on a pin 64which is attached to an oscillating arm 65. A spring 66 normally holdsthe blade in engagement with the material ll. v I

The blade 44 carriesa ipin lil having a roller 68 journaled thereon. Theroller 68 is adapted to engage a portion 69a of ,arpin 69, which iscarried by the lever 55, the arrangement being such that when the leveris shifted to inoperative position, as shown in Figure 10, the portion69a of the pin 69 engages the roller 68 to lift the justably secured inthe lever 55 by afset screw 10.

The oscillating arm 65 is attached to a rock shaft H journaled in a boss12 formed on a bracket 13. The rock shaft II also carries an arm I4(Figure 4) to which a link 15 is adjust-' ably connected by means of aset screw 16 extending through a slot 11 in said arm 74. The link 15 isjournaled about an eccentric 18 carried by a sleeve 19, which is adaptedto be secured to-a rotating shaft 88 (Figure l). The shaft 80 isjournaled in bosses 8| formed on the bracket 13, the sleeve 19 providinga thrust bearing to prevent axial movement of said shaft 80. The bracket13 is formed with a lip 82 which is secured to the needle head 3 bymeans of a. screw 83.

The shaft 80 extends through a boss 85 on a bracket'86 (Figures 1 and11) which is attached to the sewing machine head by bolts 81. The shaft80 carries a pulley 88 engaging a belt 89,

which is driven by a pulley 98 attached to the belt 89 and may be closedby a pair of cover plates 94 and 95.

In the operation of the above-described mechanism, the binding or pipingmaterial It is fed through the prefoider 35 and the folder l2, which areadapted to form a U-fold therein, as above described, and to dischargethe same from the throat I4 in a position to receive a blind stitch, asdescribed more in detail in my Patent No. 2,125,652 above mentioned. Atthe same time, the base material II is fed over the guide plate I insuch a waythat the edge of the base material is positioned between thetwo sides of the folded binding or piping a it advances to the needle.In this way, the piping is attached by a blind stitch to the edge of thebase material. The piping or binding material may, of course, be foldedso as to form any desired number of plies at either the top or bottom ofthe base material, by making suitable changes in the folders l2 and 35.It is to be understood, of course, that the pre-folder 35 may be omittedif the desired folding operation is obtained by means of the folder H2.The position of the toe I5 is adjusted by means of the lever 22 inaccordance with the thickness of the material and the number of foldedplies thereof, so as to cause the needle to enter the same in a properposition for producing the above-mentioned blind stitch.

The drive mechanism, above described, including the chain 89, the shaft80, eccentric I8, link and arms 14 and 65, causes the shirring blade 44to reciprocate. The base material II is held in the path of the shirringblade 44 by means of the spring plate 45 so'that, as the bladereciprocates, the serrated edge 60 engages the base material beyond thepiping and causes the same to advance to the needle in folds, therebyproducing a shirred effect as illustrated in Figure 7, with' theblind-stitched piping attached along the edge of the shirred material.The shirring blade 44 is preferably timed so that it holds thefoldedmaterial until the needle has penetrated the same, therebypreventing the material from being pulled back when the blade isretracted. The serrated edge 48 of the spring plate 45 is also adaptedto engage the folded material to prevent so as to cause the basematerial to be shirred at spaced points, indicated at ill! in Figure 7,which are separated by unshirred portions I00. Any desired combinationof shirred and unshirred portions may thus be obtained in accordancewith the effect desired.

While the invention has been shown for purposes of illustration asembodied in a specific mechanism, it is to be understood that variouschange and modifications may be made therein as will readily appear to aperson skilled in the art, The invention is not to be restricted to thespecific embodimentshown but is only to be limited in accordance withthe scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a sewing machine having a head carrying a reciprocating needle anddrive means therefor including a rotating drive shaft, a guide platepositioned to guide material to the needle for stitching, areciprocating blade adapted to enage the material as the material passesover said guide plate for advancing the material to the ame from beingpulled back with the shirring blade in the event that the blade isretracted before the needle has fully penetrated the material.

In the above-described mechanism, the width of the folds may be adjustedby loosening the set screw I6 and shifting the link 15 with respect tothe arm I4, thereby changing the throw of the arm. The adjustment may bevaried to produce any shirred, tucked, gathered or pleated effectdesired, herein for convenience termed shirring.

The shirring operation may be interrupted by shifting the lever 55 tothe position shown in Figure 10, thereby retracting the spring plate 45and at the same time lifting the shirring blade 44 from the material sothat the blade is free to reciprocate without engaging the material toform folds therein. With the mechanism in this position, the piping orbinding is stitched to the edge of the material, while the base materialis fed in a fiat condition, as indicated at it!!! in Figure 7. The wire34 forms a stop and guide for the blade 44 as it reciproc'ates out ofcontact with the material II.

Obviously, intermittent shirring can be obtained by manual manipulationof the lever 55 the needle in successive folds for forming pleats orshirring therein, drive means driven by said drive shaft to impartreciprocating movement to said blade, and means for retracting saidguide plate and shifting said blade into non-cooperative position,whereby the blade is rendered inefiective for the above purpose.

2. In a sewing machine having a head carrying a, reciprocating needleand drive means there for including a rotating drive shaft, areciprocating blade, drive means driven by said drive shaft to impartreciprocating movement to said blade, a guide plate adapted to guide amaterial to the needle for stitching, a spring guide member associatedwith said plate to hold the material in position to be engaged by saireciprocating blade and advanced thereby to the needle in successivefolds, and means for retracting said spring guide member and shiftingsaid blade into non-cooperative position, whereby the blade is renderedinefiective for the above purpose.

3. In a sewing machine having a head carrying a reciprocating needle anddrive means therefor including a rotating drive shaft, a reciprocatingblade, drive means driven by said drive shaft to impartreciprocatingmovement to said blade, a guide plate adapted to guide a material to theneedle for. stitching, a spring guide member associated with said plateto hold the material in position to be engagedhby said reciprocatingblade and advanced thereby to the needle in successive folds, a pivotedmember con-.

nected to retract said spring guide member from cooperating positionwith respect to said blade, said pivoted member having means engagingaid blade to shift the same into inoperative position, and spring meansholding said pivoted member in operative or inoperative positions,whereby said pivoted member'provides a manual control for interruptingthe shirring or pleating operation.

. 4. An attachment for a sewing machine having a head carrying areciprocating needle and drive means therefor including a rotating driveshaft, said attachment comprising a guide plate to be positioned toguide material to the needle for stitching, a reciprocating bladeadapted to engage the material as the material passes over said guideplate for advancing the material to the needle in successive folds forforming pleats or shirring therein, drive means to be driven by saiddrive shaft to impart reciprocating movement to said blade, andmeans'for retracting said guide plate and shifting said blade intonon-cooperative position, whereby the blade is rendered ineffective forthe above purpose.

5. An attachment for a sewing machine having a head carrying areciprocating needle and drive means therefor including arotating driveshaft, said attachment comprising a reciprocating blade adapted toposition material for stitching, drive means to be driven by said driveshaft to impart reciprocating movement to said blade, a guide plateadapted to guide a material to the needle for stitching, a spring guidemember associated with said plate to hold the material in-position' tobe engaged by said reciprocating blade and advanced thereby to theneedle in successive folds, and means for retracting said spring guidemember and shifting said blade into non-cooperative position, wherebythe blade is rendered ineffective for the'above purpose.

6. An attachment for a sewing machine having a head carrying areciprocating needle and drive means'therefor including a rotatingdrive,

shaft, said attachment comprising a reciprocating blade adapted-toposition material for stitching, drive means to be driven by said driveshaft to impart reciprocating movement to said blade, a guide plateadapted to guide a material to the needle for stitching, a spring guidemember associated with said'plate to hold'the material in position to beengaged by said reciprocating blade and advanced thereby to the needlein successive folds, a pivoted member connected to retract said springguide member from cooperating position with respect to said blade, saidpivoted member having means engaging said blade to shift the same intoinoperative position,

- engage the material as the materialtpasses oversaid guide plate for.advancing ,thermaterial to .the needle in successive folds for-formingpleats or shirring therein, drive means driven by said drive shaft toimpart reciprocating movement to said blade, cam means associated withsaid guide plate and adapted toretract said guide plate from cooperativerelationship with said blade,

-whereby said blade is rendered ineffective for the above purpose, andmeans operatively connected to said cam means and adapted to actuatesaidcam means to retract said guide plate.

8. In a sewing machine having a head carrying a' reciprocating needleand drive means therefor including a rotating drive shaft, a guidepla'te positioned to guide material to the needle for stitching, areciprocating blade adapted to engage the material as the materialpasses over said guide plate for advancing the material to the needle insuccessive folds for forming pleats or shirring therein, drive meansdriven by said drive shaft to impart reciprocating movement to I saidblade, cam means associated with said guide plate and adapted to retractsaid guide plate from cooperative relationship with said blade, wherebysaid blade is rendered ineffective for the above purpose, meansoperatively connected to said cam means and adapted to actuate said cammeans to retract said guide plate, and means associated with saidcam-actuating. means to shift said blade into inoperative position whensaid guide plate is retracted. I 1 1 9. In a sewing machine having I{carrying a reciprocating needle and:- rive means therefor including arotating drive shaft, a binding folder to fold a binding material aboutits longitudinal axis, said "folder having a throat discharging thefolded-material in position tobe blind-stitched, a reciprocating blade,drive means driven by said drive shaft to impart reciprocating movement,to said blade, a guide plate adapted to guide a base material andpresent, the edge thereof between the plies of the folded binding forstitching therebetween, a spring guide member in advance of said throatand associated with said plate to hold the material in position to beengaged by said reciprocating blade and advanced thereby between theplies of the folded binding in sucessive folds, cam means associatedwith said spring guide member and adapted upon actuation thereof toretract said spring guide member from cooperative position with respectto said blade, whereby said blade is rendered ineffective for the-abovepurpose, means to actuate said cam means, and means associated with saidcam-actuating means to shift said blade into inoperative position whensaid guide member is retracted.

10. An attachment for a sewing machine having a head carrying areciprocating needle and drive means therefor including a drive shaft,said attachment comprising a guide plate adapted to be positioned toguide material to the needle for stitching, a spring guide memberassociated with said guide plate, a reciprocating blade adapted toengage the material as the material passes over said spring guide memberfor advancing the material to the needle in successive folds for formingpleats or shirring therein, drive means adapted to be driven by saiddrive shaft to impart reciprocating movement to said blade, cam meansassociated with said ing a head carrying a reciprocating needle anddrive means therefor including a drive shaft,

said attachment comprising a guide plate adapted to be positioned toguide material to the needle for stitching, a spring guide memberassociated with said guide plate, a reciprocating blade adapted toengage the material as the material-passes over said spring guide memberfor advancing the material to the needle in successive folds for formingpleats or shirring therein, drive means adapted to be driven by saiddrive shaft to impart reciprocating movement to said blade, cam meansassociated with said spring guide member and adapted to retract saidspring guide member from cooperative relationship with said blade,whereby said blade is rendered ineffective for the above purpose, meansoperatively connected to said cam means and adapted to actuate said cammeans to retract said spring guide member, and means associated withsaid cam-actuating means to shift said blade into inoperative positionwhen said spring guide-member is retracted.

12. An attachment for a sewing machine having a head carrying areciprocatingneedle and drive means therefor including a drive shaft,said attachment comprising a reciprocating blade, drive means adapted tobe driven by said drive shaft to impart reciprocating movement to saidblade, a guide plate adapted to guide a material to the needle forstitching, a spring guide member associated with said plate to hold thematerial in position to be engaged by said reciprocating blade andadvanced thereby to the needle in successive folds, cam means associatedwith said spring guide member and adapted upon actuation thereof toretract said spring guide member from cooperative relationship with saidblade, whereby said blade is rendered ineffective for the above purpose,and means operatively connected to said cam means and adapted to actuatesaid cam means to retract said spring guide member.

13. An attachment for a sewing machine having a head carrying areciprocating needle and drive means therefor including a drive shaft,said attachment comprising a reciprocating blade, drive means adapted tobe driven by said drive shaft to impart reciprocating movement to saidblade, a guide plate adapted to guide a material to the needle forstitching, a spring guide member associated with said plate 'to hold thematerialin position to be engaged by said re-' ciprocating blade andadvanced thereby to the needle in successive folds, cam means associatedwith said spring guide member and adapted upon actuation thereof toretract said spring guide member from cooperative relationship with saidblade, whereby said blade is rendered ineffective for the above purpose,means operatively connected to said cam means and adapted to actuatesaid cam means to retract said spring guide member, and means forholding said cam in position while said blade is in the operative orinoperative position.

, 14. An attachment for a sewing machine having a head carrying areciprocating needle and drive means therefor including a drive shaft,said attachment comprising a reciprocating blade, drive means adapted tobe driven by said drive shaft to impart reciprocating movement to saidblade, a guide plate adapted to guide a material to the needle forstitching, a spring guide member associated with said plate to hold thematerial in position to be engaged by said reciproeating blade andadvanced thereby to the needle in successive folds, cam means associatedwith said spring guide member and adapted upon actuation thereof toretract said spring guide member from cooperative relationship with saidblade, whereby said blade is rendered ineffective for the above purpose,means operatively connected to said cam means and adapted to actuatesaid cam means to retract said spring guide member, and means associatedwith said cam-actuating means to shift said blade into inoperativeposition when said guide member is retracted.

An attachment'for a sewing machine having a head carrying areciprocating needle and drive means therefor including a drive shaft,said attachment comprising a reciprocating blade, drive means adapted tobe driven by said drive shaft to impart reciprocating movement to saidblade, a guide plate adapted to guide a material to the needle forstitching, a spring guide membe!" associated with said plate to hold thematerial in position to be engaged by said reciproeating blade andadvanced thereby to the needle in successive folds, cam means associatedwith said spring guide member and adapted upon actuation thereof toretract said spring guide member from cooperative relationship with saidblade, whereby said blade is rendered ineffective for the above purpose,means operatively connected to said cam means and adapted to actuatesaid cam means. to retract said spring guide member, means associatedwith'said cam-actuating means to shift said blade into inoperativeposition when said guide member is retracted, and spring means to holdsaid cam in position while said blade is in the operative or inoperativeposition. p

16. An attachment for a sewing machine having a head carrying areciprocating needle and drive means therefor including a drive shaft,said attachment comprising a binding folder to fold a binding materialabout its longitudinal axis, said folder having a throat discharging thefolded material in position to be blind-stitched, a reciprocating blade,drive means adapted to be driven by said drive shaft to impartreciprocating movement to said blade, a guide plate adapted to guide abase material and present the edge thereof between the plies of thefolded binding for stitching therebetween, a spring guide member adaptedto be positioned in advance of said throat and associated with said.plate to hold the material in position to be engaged by saidreciprocating blade and advanced thereby between the plies of the foldedbinding in successive folds, and means retracting said spring guidemember from cooperative position with respect to said blade, wherebysaid blade is rendered ineffective for the above purpose.

17. An attachment for a sewing machine having a head carrying areciprocating needle and drive means therefor including a drive shaft,said attachment comprising a binding folder to fold a binding materialabout its longitudinal axis, said folder having a throat discharging thefolded material in position to be blind-stitched, a reciprocating blade,drive means adapted to be driven by said drive shaft to impartreciprocating movement to said blade, a guide plate adapted to guide abase material and present the edge thereof between the plies of thefolded binding for stitching therebetween, a spring guide member adaptedto be positioned in advance of the folder associated with said plate tohold the material in position to be engaged by said reciprocating bladeand advanced thereby between the plies of the folded binding insuccessive folds, cam means associated with said spring guide I memberand adapted upon actuation thereof to retract said spring guide memberfrom cooperative position with respect to said blade, whereby said bladeis rendered ineffective for the above.

purpose, and means to actuate said cam means.

18. An attachment for a sewing machine having a head carrying areciprocating needle and drive means therefor including a drive shaft,said attachment comprising a binding folder to fold a binding materialabout its longitudinal axis, said folder having a throat discharging thefolded material in position to be blind-stitched, a reciprocating blade,drive means adapted to be driven by said drive shaft to impartreciprocating movement to said blade, a guide plate adapted to guide abase material and present the edge thereof between the plies of thefolded binding for stitching therebetween, a spring guide membe: adaptedto be positioned in advance of said throat and associated with saidplate to hold the material in position to be engaged by saidreciprocating blade and advanced thereby between the plies of the foldedbinding in successive folds,

cam means associated with said spring guide member and-adapted uponactuation thereof to retract said spring guide member from coopera-,

CHARLES SEAMAN.

